Green corn off the cob



(Model.) 4 Sheets-#Sheet 1.

H. F. ZEHNDER. MACHINE FOR. CUTTING GREEN COR-N OFF THE 00B. No. 278,210. Patented May 22,1883.

4 Sheets- Sheet 2 (Model.) n H. P. ZEHNDER.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING GREEN CORN OFP THE GOB. No. 278,210. Patented May 22,1883.

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(Model.)

H. F. ZEHNDER.

MACHINE PoR CUTTING GREEN CORN oFF THE 00B. No. 278,210.

Patented May 22,1883.

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(Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

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` MACHINE FOR CUTTING. GREEN CORN OPP THE GOB.

No. 278,210. Patented May 22,1883.

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n. wenn; Mmmm www l C UNiTnD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY F. ZEHNDER, F BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T() 'MATHEW DEUTSCHER, OF SAME PLAGE.

MACHINE FOR CUTTING `GREEN CORN OFF THE COB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.c2'78,210, dated May 22, 1883.

' Application nien october si, lesa. (Model.)

To all whom, il; may concern.: 4

Be it known that I HENRY F. ZEHNDER, of the city ot' Buffalo, in `the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Green Corn, ot' which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to that class of machines which 4are employed for cutting the kernels 0f green corn from the cob preparatory to canning the same, and in which the knives are mounted in a revolving sleeve, through i which theears ot' corn are t'ed by feed-wheels arranged above and below said sleeve.

The object oi' my invention is to simplify theconstruction ot' this class ot' machines; and it consistsin the improvements hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, consisting 2'0 of four sheets, Figures l and 2 are elevations of my improved machine at right angles to each other. Fig. 3 is a top plan view ot' the machine onan enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-secticn in line xx, Fig. 25. Fig. 5is

an elevation of one of the feed-wheels and connecting parts on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a section in line 1/ y, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a sectional top plan view with the feed-hoppers and feed-wheels removed. Fig.`8 is a vertical sec tion of the discl'iarge-spout, and Fig.9 an end elevation thereof. Fig.10 isafragmentary top plan view of therevolvingknives and Scrapers and their connecting parts. Fig. 11 is an elevation of one of the arms, with the knife and 3 5 scraper attached thereto, on an enlarged scale, and Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section thereof. Fig. 13 is a horizontal section in line w to, Fig. 11. Fig. 14 is a horizontal cross-section of the upper portion of the discharge-spout in line z 4o z,Fig.4. Fig.15isasectionalelevation,showing a modified construction oi' the discharge mechanism. Fig. 16 is ahorizontal section of the same in line n e, Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is a side elevation ot' the inner bearings of the lower 4 5 feed-rollers.

supported upon the legs a in sockets a2, formed on the under side of the bed-plate A. 'I he bed-plate A is constructed with a central circular opening, and a circular rim or collar, a3, which surrounds the opening on the under side of the bed-plate. Y A

B represents a horizontal disk, which is cast with a central hollow' sleeveor hub, B'. The hub B is provided on its outer side with an offset or annular shoulder, b, which rests upon 6o the rim a ot' the bed-plate, and by means of which the disk B and hub B are supported, so that the disk can rotate above the bed-plate Without touching the same.

b represents three grooved or dovetailed ways formed on the upper face of the disk B and arranged radially from the hub B', and b2 are openings formed in the hub B in line with the ways b:

b3 represents the stocks or bars which carry 7o the cutters, and which are arranged to slide in the ways b', with their inner ends protruding through the openings b2 into the hub B.

C represents the adjustable knives or cutters arranged in the revolving sleeve or hub B', and which are secured to the inner ends ot' the stocks b3 by slotted arms c and screws c2.

C represents curved guide-plates secured to oriormed at the inner ends otthe stocks b3, below the cutters C, and extending downward 8o in the sleeve B' in line, or nearly so, with the cutters, and forming guides for retaining the ears of corn in a perpendicular position. Suitable scraper-plates, c, may ben secured to the curved guide-plates C, if desired, to remove any particles of the kernels of corn from the cob that have not been removed by the cutters C. These scraper-plates are arranged on the rear sides of the cutters, and project farther inward than the cutters, as re,` esented in 9o Figs. 10 and 11.

D represents a movable ring secured to the disk B by metal straps d. The latter are proi vided with slots or grooves, to allow a free movement of the ring D upon the disk B concentric therewith. d are inclined or eccentric slots formed in the ring D, and arranged above the ways b', and d2 are guide-rollersv secured to the stocks b3 by bolts da, and projectinginto the slots d. i 10:,

d4 represents aspiral or other suitable spring, which is secured at one end to the ring D and at its opposite end to the disk B by means of a screw-bolt, d5.

can be adjusted and the, tension of the spring d* regulated. 3y means of the slotted ring and spring di, the cutters are held nearest the center ofthe machine, but permitted to recede and adapt themselves to the various sizes of the ears of corn operated upon.

E represents a toothed or geared rixn secured to the lower end of the hub or sleeve B', and meshing with a bevel-wheel, F, mounted on the driving shaft j' of the machine. The shaftf is journaled in bearings f', secured to the cross-pieces a' of the frame, and is provided at one end with a balance-wheel, /"2, and crank f3, or other suitable mechanism, by means of which motion is imparted tothe machine. u

J J represent thei'ccd-wheels, which are arranged above the upper end of the revolving sleeve or hub B', and which arc constructed with concave faces adapted to receive an ear ofcorn and propel it downwardbetween-the cuttersC. rlhe feed-wheels are preferably provided on their faces with two orv more rows of spurs or teetlnj, which penetrate the ears of corn as they are fed between the feed-wheels, and firmly hold the same from turning when brought in contact with the revolving cutters. 7L h representthe. horizontal shafts of the feed-wheels, supported at their inner ends in adjustable bearings lf, and near their outer ends in pivoted standard-bearings H H'.

g is a grooved pulley secured to the drivingshaftj", and g isa similar pulley secured to the outer end ofthe shaft h. Motion is imparted to the pulley g' from the pulley g by means of an endless belt, g2. i is a pinion secured to the shaft It, and i' is a similar pinion mounted on the shaft h' and meshing with the pinion fi.

' The standards H H' are pivoted at their lower ends in socketsor lugs formed with or secured tal movement of the shaftsjournaled in said bearings. The adjustable bearings k, supporting thcinner ends of the shafts h h', are secured to a frame, K, which is suspended below the feed-wheels J by means of an overhauging arm, K', secured to the bed-plate A'.

' 7s' is a rearwardly-projecting rod formed on each bearing 7.', and seated in a cylindrical socket, k2, secured to the frame K by a screwbolt, h3. The rod k is provided with a contracted portion, 7a4, which is surrounded by a spiral spring, 705, seated in the socket k2. The outer end ot' the rod 7.5' extends through .an opening in the end of the socket, and is provided with a screw-thread and thumbput, lr6. By tightening the thumb-nut k6, the spring is compressed between the shoulder of the rod k and the end of the socket 7a2, and the bearin g 7c thereby adjusted. This construction of the bearings allows the bearin gs and feed-rollers to separate when an ear of corn of unusual size en- The latter is provided with' a thumb-nut, d, by means of which the boltd5 waere ters between the rollers, and the springs tend to hold the feed-rollers in close contact with the ear of corn.

l l represent self-adjusting feed-gages, which constitute afeed hopper or funnel, L, into which the ears of corn to be cut are placed, and which guide the ears between the feed-wheels. The gages ll'orm aconduit having adischargeopening of the proper size to allow the passage of but one ear of corn at a time. The gages l L are supported above the feed-wheels J, and are secured at one side to the Qbearings lo by arms l', and supported on the opposite side of the feed-wheels by arms l2 on thc shafts 7L h' of the feed-wheels. By supporting the gages Zot' the l'ecd-l1opper on the bearings and shafts of the feed-wheels, the gages lare caused to take part in the lateral movement of the feed-wheels.

M M representa pairof feed-wheels arranged below the sleeve B and in line with the feedwheels J. The feed-wheels M are secured to horizontal shafts m m', which are supported at their outer ends in hangers N N', attached by vertical pivots to lugs a n', formed on the bed-plate A', so as to permit the shafts m m' to turn horizontally on the vertical pivots of the hangers. rLlhe inner ends of the shafts m m' are supported in movable bearings o, which are constructed like the corresponding beary ings, k, of the upperfeed-rollers, J, to permit the feed-rollers to move toward or from each other and firmly hold the ears of corn. The Supportingsleeves of thc bearings 0 are sccured tb a bridge-piece, o', which extends across the machine below the lower end of the revolving sleeve B', and which is secured with its ends to the bed-plate A', as clearly shown in Fig. 17.

p represents a grooved pulley secured to the outer end ot` the shaft m, and -p a similar pulley secured to the driving-shaftj', and p2 an endless belt ruiming over the pulleys 1) p', whereby motion is imparted from the drivingshaft j' to the shaft m. The shaft m is provided with a gear-wheel, q, which meshes with a similar gearwheel, q', whereby motion is imparted to the shaft m from the shaft fm.

R represents the discharge-spout, which is arranged below the sleeve or collar B' and the feed-wheels M M', and into which the cut corn and cobs are delivered.

s s represent curved scraper-plates arranged in the upper portion of the discharge-spout below the'lower pair of feed-wheels. The ears of corn, after leaving the cutters and feed-wheels, pass between the scraper-plates s s, which remove any remaining particles of the kernels that may still adhere 'to the cob before the latter is finally discharged into the spout R. The Scrapers s are pivoted at one end to lugs s', secured to the side of the discharge-spout, and their opposite ends are held together by a rubber ring, s2, or other suitable elast-ic device. The Scrapers s are arranged in pairs, one above the IOS 'IIO

IIS

other, one pair being at rightangles to the other,

so as to scrape the ears of corn on all sides. Thedischarge-spout R is provided with longitudi- `wires 1', and are discharged through the spout 1" at the lower end of the spout R. The cobs remain above the wires and pass out through an opening, r2, ony the rear side of the discharge-spout.

As shown in Figs. l5 and 16, the dischargespout R may be provided with an endless open belt composed of a series of wires or rods, r3, running over suitable pulleys,whereby the cobs are carried ofla laterally to a suitable receptacle, while the eut kernels pass downward through the spaces between the endless wires. The ears of corn are fed one by one between the gages l, which guide the ears between the upper feed-rollers, J. The latter seize the ear firmly and propel the saine between the cutters C,which rotate with the tubular sleeveB'. The cn tters C detach the kernels from the cobs, and the cobs are guided by the depending guides attached tothe cutters between the lower feedrollers, M M. The latter are preferably arranged at'such a distance from the upper feedrollers that an ear of average sizewill be held at the same time by both pairs of feed-rollers above and below the cutters. The lower pair of feed-rollers push the cobs between the stationary scrapers s, which remove the adhering portion ofthe valuable material from the cobs,

and the latter are then separated from the'cut corn and both products discharged separately.

I claim as my invention- 1. Thecombination,with the revolvingsleeve B', provided with adjustable cutters C, of feedwheels J, mounted on shafts It It', mechanism whereby motion is transmitted to both of said shafts, and adjustable bearings, in which both shafts are'mounted, and which permit both feed-wheels to adjust themselves toward or from the abris ofthe sleeve B', substantially as set forth'.

2. The combination,with the-revolving sleeve.

B', provided with adjustable cutters C, offeedwheels J, mounted in adj ustablebearings, mechanism whereby both feed-wheels are rotated, and gages l, secured to the adjustable bearings ot' the feed-wheels, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination ,with the revolving sleeve B', provided with adjustable cutters O, of the gages l. feed-wheels J, arranged between the funnel L and the cutters C, feed-wheels M, arranged at the discharge end of the revolving sleeve B', and Scrapers s, arranged below the feed-wheels M, substantially as set forth. i

4. The combination, with the revolving disk B, provided with sleeve B', and radial ways b',.

of the sliding cutterstocks b3, ring D, pro vided with inclined slot`s d', and the spring di, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the feed-wheels J and the shafts It h', ot' the pivoted bearings H \H', supporting the outer` ends oftheshafts, and

yielding bearings lc, supporting the inner ends of the shafts, whereby the inner ends of the shafts are enabled to move toward or from each other without changing the distance between the outer bea-rings', H H', substantially as `set forth.

6. The combination, with the feed-wheels J and their shafts It h', of the pivoted bearings H H', supporting the outer ends of said shafts,

andthe sliding bearings 7e, supporting the innerends of said shafts, and provided with bolts k', sprin gs la", and supporting sleeves k2, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, withtlie feed-wheels J and the bearings k, of the gages l, secured to said bearings, substantially as set forth.

HENRY F. ZEHNDER.

Vitnesses:

JNO. J. BONNER, CHAs. F. GEYER. 

